Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-07

their presiding officer, viz: "The Speaker
of the House of Representatives"
a committee on the title of the Presi-
dent, at the instigation of the aristogratiC
party of the Senate, having been appoint
ed in both houses. the subject gave rise
to q parliamentary battle, which some
times grew rather too threatening to be
interesting. The New England states,
Virginia aud South Carolina Senators
were the most active champions of high
sounding title. Senator Ellsworth of
Connecticut claimed that all the world,
civilized and savage, called for titles
ever since society was organized. The
simple title, "The President" he thought,
sounded too much like the presiding Off
Ger of cricket club or fire company,
Ills excellencyn was proposed, but
Withdrawn. and "Highness" substituted,
with some predatory word like effective"
es ellis Elective Highness George Wash
ington, President of the United Statss,"
claiming that such dignitied title would
add weight and authority to the Office at
home and abroad. The champions of
titles went over the whole list of the
princes and potentates of the earth in
support of the title "highness." This
was antagoniZed as beneath the dignity
of the elective ruler of the United States,
on the ground that the grand Turk had
it, that all the princes of Germany and
sons and daughters of crowned heads had
it; therefore it was degrading to the
President of the United States to place
him on par with princes of any blood
in Europe. The committee fually re-
ported to the Senate as the title of the
President: ellis Highness the President
of the United States of America and Pro-
tector of the Rights of the Same"
When this high-fown official designa-
ton reached the House the contending
champions became so heated in their re
marks that rupture was threatened.
The anti-title advocates insisted that the
constitution called him 1.-THE President of
the United States" and, therefore, that
was his title. The wags of the two houses
nagged their opponents by addressing
them "Your Highness of the Senate"
"His Highness of the Lower House"
This extraordinary discussion con-
sumed three weeks OF the opening delib-
erations of the First Congress of the
United States, on the floor and in
committee. at length the obdursCy
of the House, in support Of re-
publican simplicity and popular sover-
eighty in titles, as in governmental forms,
compelled the conference committee, to
which the matter was finally referred, to
report their inability to agree. The Sen
ate committee having decided not to ad-
dress the President as "his eXcellency,"
made final recommendation of title as
"His Highness, the President of the
United States of America and Protector
of Their Liberties" The Senate, seeing
that their effort TO make the President a
titled parsonage in violation of the con-
stitution was getting too serious, voted
to postpone the further consideration of
the question. The following report,
which gave expression to the views of
the Senate, was then agreed to:
From decent respect for the opinion
and practice of civilized nations, whether
under monarchical or republican forms
of government, whose custom is to an
mex titles of responsibility to the Office of
their chief magistrate, and that in inter-
course with foreign nations due respect
for the majesty of the people of the
United States may not be haZarded by an
appearance of singularity, the Senate
have been induced 20 be of the opinion